


Lune.

by oldlcvescngs



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Depressed Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Marinette is not okay, Musical References, Not Really Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Unplanned Story, quick start, this story is a mess lol i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27806506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldlcvescngs/pseuds/oldlcvescngs
Summary: "You're a funny girl, Marinette."Basically, just a story about Lukanette, starting two years into the future where Mari is 17.  Started on the headcanon that people actually die during akuma battles, which Luka directly experiences. There's no actual plot, and this is my first MLB, so it starts off unbelievably quickly. If you're looking for a slow burn sort of thing, you won't get it. This story will use various songs already created, and I'll add the soundtrack/artist in the notes. Also, if the characters are vaguely unlike themselves, point it out! I'll try to be better in the coming chapters. Okay, that's a lot of negativity, but if you made it through, have fun reading!
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 14
Kudos: 34
Collections: Miraculous Ladybug





	1. lune #1

**Author's Note:**

> Song: Now or Never/Julie and the Phantoms
> 
> In which we meet our characters and one of them has an epiphany.

Now or Never

_C._   
_D._   
_B-flat._

His eyes were closed, small bursts of yellow and orange and red fading in and out through his lids. His fingers moved on the strings expertly ̶̶̶̶ instinctually, as if they were an extension of his body. A bassy, tangy sound echoed lowly on the speaker. The riff he was playing filled his room, leaving him with only his music, his thoughts, and the lull of the boat on the water.  
That is, until quiet steps headed into his room. He waited for them to say something, still strumming. After a few seconds, the boy decided they were probably waiting until he was finished, and opened his eyes. To his surprise, it wasn’t his mom or Jules. A girl, pale and pretty, jumped in surprise when she met his gaze. Her hair was blue— midnight blue, almost black— and tied into little pigtails at the base of her head. She seemed like a child, but when he listened, her melody, while gorgeous and hearty, was strained and stressed.

“Uh, hey! My name’s Ma-Ma-Marinette! Your family’s waiting for you to join the, uh, groove!” Marinette seemed to be tongue-tied for the rather embarrassing situation she was entangled in. His lip quirked.  
“Nice to meet you, Ma-Ma-Marinette,” he chuckled. He really didn’t mean harm, but something defeated in Marinette’s face halted him.

“Sorry,” he quickly amended. “I tend to make more sense with _this.”_ He gestured to the black electric guitar resting at his side. To prove his point, he strummed a pretty chord— one that her song liked to emphasize. She seemed to marvel at it, her eyes widening considerably. The boy looked up at her, patting the bed for her to sit. Marinette obeyed, still looking a little wary.

“It’s strange though. It seems you have something more like _this_ right now,” he said, strumming again. Only this time, he gave her a lower key of the melody before, the way he’d actually heard it when he listened to her. It was gloomy, and while he could vibe, it really didn’t seem that she could say the same. Watching her relax, he decided to play a little more. Her eyes closed, a half-smile finally lighting up her face. She looked a lot more comfortable now, but the boy strumming tried not to frown at the activity in her face. Worry still knit her brow, and her eyes searched under her lids as if she was ready to take on anything that threatened her. Or rather, what she was protecting.

Like he’d thought, her hand came up to trace the neckline of her blouse. Usually, it’d indicate honestly, but since she wasn’t doing anything, he guessed it was already a nervous habit. If he had to take a stab at what that meant, he’d probably say she’s guarding herself— or warding off others.

Before he could analyze her too much, she opened her eyes with a soft smile, one that made his heart beat faster than normal. “How’d you _do_ that?”

Taking the strap of his guitar off, he answered, “Music is often simpler than words.” He watched her stand and head over to his pick collection. She grabbed one— his Jagged Stone pick. It was cheap, inexpensive. Still, she seemed to really like it.

“You like Jagged Stone’s music?” she asked, awe in her face as she looked at— no, examined— his poster of Jagged. He stood, walking beside her with what sounded like a laugh in his voice. “He’s my favorite singer!”  
Marinette beamed, making these cute little jazzy hands of excitement. “Mine too!”

She seemed startled as he appeared beside her as if he’d materialized out of nowhere. He decided not to laugh when she almost dropped the pick, instead opting to say, “You can have it if you like. I’ve got plenty.”  
“Thanks!” she chirped. The boy already knew she could probably sing, but in some corner of his mind, he thought, she could be kickass. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity. “I think I’d better go join the. . . _groove_ , you said?” A playful eyeroll driving it home, Marinette groaned. “Did I really say that?”

Luka smirked, running a hand through his hair. “You’re a funny girl, Marinette.”  
;

“I love unicorns, I love fluffy cats.” Mari read aloud, and Luka cringed. “I can’t believe we performed that.” Two years had passed since they met. Marinette was an aspiring designer, already developing her own brand. Luka had started to book gigs in clubs and events. The pair, close as could be, walked into Luka’s new apartment. He was trying to get out a few new songs, but nothing was really working. His sound was a little flat lately, and he honestly didn’t even try to figure out why.

He and Mari had grown to be best friends after they met, especially after Lila. A lot of people were walking out on her then, and she’d started reaching out to Luka more frequently to chill with him. Her melody hadn’t changed much. It was still stressed and wound tight, but nothing he did really seemed to change that. Luka chalked it up to a simple anxiety disorder and left it at that, not having the heart to push his best friend into something she couldn’t withstand.

Mari had turned really mature in the past couple of years. Her face didn’t look like a little kid’s anymore, and her figure had started developing not too long ago, something Luka pretended not to notice. Her eyes were as blue as ever, and her hair had grown down to her mid-back. Now, she kept it in buns and braids. She looked far older than she had when he met her— and far more worn down. He knew the past few years had been tough on Marinette, and she showed it.  
Her anxiety had flared up hard more recently, and her attacks started coming back every few weeks. She still was wary, scanning every room before entering, She checked all the doors and windows when she slept in his place as if someone would be tracking her. Mari was stuck in permanent fight or flight, and Luka hated it. He wished he could help her relax and trust more easily, but all the times she’d tried, she closed herself off.

“By the way, I-I have something for you. Well, there’s this song I heard that reminded me of you. I felt like it was something you could write or play, so I-I just. . .” she coughed, taking a sheet of paper out of her pocket. “I gave you a _head start_. I heard the music and fitted the lyrics to you, I guess. I’m not good at all, an-and you usually go for something more chill, but I thought that if you tidied it up a little bit, it could really work...?” Luka took the paper carefully, nodding. His brow furrowed the slightest bit, and Mari knew it sounded strange.  
“You wrote me a _song?”_ Luka asked incredulously. He let her lead him to his room, where she exhaled nervously. “Uh, I _guess_ so. It was a surprise. I have an idea of how the music is supposed to go, too. Can I use your guitar?”

His jaw dropped. In all the time he’s known her, she’d never picked up an instrument or sang. She preferred to stick with books and sewing needles, which was what Luka didn’t get. You couldn’t write and play a song you’d only been working on for a few weeks. She must’ve been working for _months_ to get this sort of thing ready.

“Of course, Marinette, but. . . who taught you to play?”

“Jules.” Mari picked up his electric and secured it around her, testing a few chords first. The sound filled his room, and she took a shaky, insecure breath. “Sorry. I’m just scared.”

Luka frowned, sitting beside her on his bed. “Hey, come on. No one’s ever written a freakin’ song for me. You could end up just screaming, and I’d still like it.” She laughed, bubbly and nervous. “I just. . . You haven’t been feeling the best lately. I really want to cheer you up, but. . . I don’t know. I’ve never sang before. I did it with Jules, but I don’t even know if it was okay or not.”  
“Well, if she didn’t correct you, you must’ve been sounding pretty good,” he insisted. “Take a deep breath and _play.”_

Marinette nodded, taking a long inhale and exhale. She shook her arms off, trying to get rid of the nervousness. “Okay, then.” She started off with a simple riff, full of electricity and a roughness that made Luka pause. It was good; it reminded him of Jagged’s music in the early days.

_“Take off, last stop, count down till we blast open the top,_   
_Face first, full charge, electric hammer to the heart_   
_Clocks move forward but we won’t get older now!”_

_Woah_. It was like a blast in the face. Mari was singing it on her key, hitting the high notes with clear precision. Distantly, he wondered how he’d let her go so long without singing to him. The song was full pop rock, maybe even _punk_ , and it fit him so well while simultaneously being so different. And he loved it.  
The harmonies in the song were ones Luka was so excited to modify and sing with her, powerful and potent. He knew anyone who would hear this would fall in love immediately, which is what amazed him so much. _How did Mari even figure this out?_

With one pulsing strum of the guitar, the music ceased. Luka took a deep breath to assess, and Mari shrank into herself. She was already prepared for an apologetic conversation, for him to cringe and say, “Sorry, it doesn’t sound like me.”

Luka glanced at little Marinette. She seemed to be collapsing in on herself, making herself smaller and more compact. As he’d thought, her hand went up to her heart, running the collar with her fingertip. The corner of his mouth pulled down, and he kneeled in front of her, using her legs to rest his arms. “Mari, I. . . That song was _amazing_. It was _spectacular_. You wrote it?”

She froze, already thrown off by the compliment. In the back of his mind, he wondered what'd happened to her for it to be so easy to expect the worst. “Y. . . Yes?”  
Luka chuckled, breathless. She’d knocked the friggin’ wind out of him and she was looking like someone was aiming a gun at her. “Damn. _Damn_. Mari, I need you to write more songs for me. You can’t just keep this talent of yours to yourself. No, no, it’s _our_ talent now.” Marinette laughed, rolling her eyes to the sky.

“You liked it?” She was reeling, the warmth of relief pooling in her chest. Luka grinned, shaking his head. “I _loved_ it. How long were you working on it?”  
“Maybe three months or so? I didn’t really learn the electric as a _whole_ ; Just the notes and chords I wanted.” He blew out an amazed breath.

“My god, Melody. You’re _incredible.”_ He stood, hooking his arms around her in a tight embrace. Choosing not to acknowledge her flinch, Luka pulled her close to his chest. Once Marinette got over the initial shock, she seemed to bury her face in the crook of his neck. Please, God, let me stop thinking about my friend like this. All he wanted was to kiss her, to take away whatever it is that scares her so much. He knew he couldn’t. And that he shouldn’t. So he didn’t.

“I’m _so_ glad you like it, Luka. I hope you feel better about whatever’s going on with you.” Mari’s voice reached him, muffled by his hoodie, and Luka smiled softly. That girl was the kindest, sweetest thing he’d ever witnessed in his life. “Love you, Mari.”

“Love you too, angel,” Mari murmured, rubbing her hands up and down his back. Luka smiled, but it was hard to take in that she would never say it in a way that’s more than platonic.  
“And, Melody?” Luka squeezed her one last time before letting go.  
“Yes?” Doe eyes pierced him. “What’s the name of the song?”

_“Now or Never.”_

;

Ladybug yelped like a kicked puppy as the akuma threw her aside and into a car, shattering the window. The shards rained down on her, a deadly shower that left bloody scratches on her face. It didn’t hurt too bad, though the scratches were seriously stinging. The akuma was a music-type. This time, whatever she sang, happened. It was so hard to get near her that she’d already called for Rena Rouge and Viperion, excluding Chat. She hated having to call her best friend and the girl who’d betrayed her to help, but she really needed the help.  
Viperion and Rena called her name, sprinting towards her. “Are you hurt?” Viperion asked, and Ladybug nodded, ignoring the waves of aching pain from her back.

“I’m alright. Rena, I need an illusion.” The fox nodded, already holding up her flute. “Make her think that she’s gagged and bound-”  
Viperion shook his head. “No. She sang her way free.” Ladybug’s gears spun for a minute, and the obvious solution hit her like a freight train. “Trick her into believing her voice is gone. Chat and I can take it from there. I’ll wait for your signal.”

Rena dashed off to a safe place to aim her illusion. Viperion’s mind spun. He had to get LB safe— they were right out in the open. He glanced at her. “You can’t stand yet, can you?” A bite of the lip. A shy, almost ashamed shake of the head. With a nod, he picked her up and dashed off to somewhere hidden. He ignored her tune, her melody. He brushed away the fact that it was _exactly_ like Mari’s, but there were more crescendos and a false sense of bravery and bravado. It sounded like Marinette’s, but it was trying to trade any tracks of her in there for a superhero theme. He didn’t pay attention to that, because if his suspicions were right, then Mari’s been suffering since before she met him, and right now, that wasn’t something he could afford to think about.

“Find a place I can still use my yo-yo from,” Ladybug grunted. “Once Rena enacts the illusion, Ms. Broadway over there will be too busy freaking out to move.” Viperion nodded, running into a hotel. After a few seconds of elevator music, they were on a great vantage point. Ladybug nodded in approval, her face tight as he slid the window open.  
“Thanks, Viperion. Okay. I get the signal, I trap her with the yoyo, and Chat-” Her voice died out, echoing through the empty hallway. _Horror_ poured itself into Viperion as he watched the great Chat Noir get impaled by a floating spear that Ms. Broadway called for. He roared in pain, falling to the ground. It was clear in a few moments, that he’d. . . _died_. Viperion’s gut roared, and pure fear and anger and _grief_ shot through him for the superhero.

She didn’t wail out like he’d expected, or scream, or punch a wall. Ladybug stared at Chat Noir, took a shaky breath, and continued. “I trap her with the yo-yo, and _you_ get to crush the object. It’s her sheet music— she’s holding it in her staff. Break it, and I get to purify it.”

Viperion flinched hard enough to stumble back. “Oh, my God. _Chat Noir_. Ladybug, _your_ — Chat Noir!” She exhaled, her eyes seeming to crystallize.  
“Don’t worry, Viperion. You’ll forget once this is over. Just do your job, and _everything’s_ gonna be okay.”

She sounded so painfully like Mari that he recoiled. “What— What does that _mean?_ Ladybug, what the _hell?”_ She shook her head.

“There’s our signal,” Ladybug told him, steel in her voice. “Get down there _now.”_ Viperion hesitated only for a second, shock still shaking him to his core, then shot off to capture the sheet music. When he got there, Ms. Broadway was already tied and ready, silently screaming her head off.

The next few moments were surreal. Warp sounds roared in his ears. He watched the horde of ladybugs tidy everything up. He watched Chat Noir get up again, looking confused and sleepy. He watched Ladybug give him her signature smirk and fist bump. He watched Rena Rouge walk out from her hiding spot, pumping her fist in the air and cheering. Numbly, he played along and answered a few reporters’ questions, then gave Ladybug his bracelet and went home.

He didn’t sleep that night. Luka couldn’t get the experience out of his head. The way Chat screamed in desperation and collapsed, the light slowly draining from his eyes. Ladybug’s somber, sad face staring at the scene, so devastated it took the wind out of Luka’s lungs. Her shaking voice attempting to radiate determination and confidence. The way her hand _trembled_ when she gestured for him to go. Her melody, an untruthful ruse of bravado and sureness and cool-headedness desperate to hide the truth: Ladybug is _Marinette Dupain-Cheng._


	2. lune #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things (really) quickly heat up between our duo, and one of them has questions. Fair warning, I have literally no boundaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Dream Sweet in Sea Major/Miracle Musical. So, after this is when the chapters will get a schedule, most likely every Friday including this one. I have to give myself a headstart, am I right? At any rate, make sure to subscribe for any updates and new works I might have, and if there's any error in the writing, make sure to let me know! Any ideas that you might have for the story or just little things you want to say can go into the comments, and if I use any of them, I'll add that person as a co-creator and credit them in the notes. 
> 
> Have fun reading!

**Dream Sweet in Sea Major**

_Believe me, darling, the stars were made for falling. . ._

The sound reverberated in her head, louder than any thoughts beginning to enter her mind. Luka had called her about ten minutes before, asking her to come to his place. In a snap, she knew something was wrong. His voice was deeper than usual, almost rough, as if he’d been crying. It gave her a feeling that he was forcing himself to get the words out. Worry and unease sewed the linings of her heart taught, anxiety beginning to creep up on her. Her back was killing her, and she wasn’t convinced she’d survive the visit, but she had no choice. What if he was hurt? What if she hadn’t fixed everything yesterday?

_Calm it, Marinette,_ she chided herself as she walked into the lobby of his building.

_Luka isn’t hurt._ He was fine after the fight. No limps, twitches, bruises, cuts. Unlike her, which prompted a sigh out of her. Her back was entirely purple from the throw yesterday, and it just hurt to _move_. Tikki apologized sincerely, and Mari forgave her, but she hated that she wasn’t allowed to get meds from the store yet. She wasn’t old enough, and she couldn’t tell anyone about what had happened.

Her knuckles rapped on the door softly, and it was only a second before Luka swung the door open. Before she could get a word out, he pulled her into a crushing embrace until Marinette whimpered in pain. Her back was almost pulsing in pain, and the blood pounded in her ears, above the music. Luka immediately took his hands off, so quick Mari would’ve thought he burned himself. “Shit, I’m sorry. What happened? Are you alright?” 

In a flash so quick she thought she’d imagined it, his expression changed into something like dread, maybe even fear. “Wait, just let me get you sitting down.” Marinette nodded warily, holding her breath to push through. It felt like when someone gets the wind knocked out of them, or they fall onto their tailbone and the pain is so paralyzing, it feels like they can’t breathe. A small, almost frail gasp slipped through her teeth, catching Luka’s attention. His eyes hardened. Carefully as to not bend her over, his arms slid under her to carry her to a stool. “Take it off,” he ordered. Normally, he’d never request anything like that, but he wasn’t playing around anymore. He wouldn’t back down, even if she went Ladybug.

Mari studied him for a second, but thankfully, only a little bit of color went into her cheeks. “Okay,” she said softly. “I need your help.” Luka nodded and she lifted her arms as he pulled her blouse off. Judging by the quick inhale, her wounds hadn’t magically disappeared. She didn’t bother to do much to cover herself; the bruises wrapped around her shoulders and ribs from how she’d landed anyway.

_Don’t think, Luka. This is Ladybug, and she’s hurt, and she doesn’t need any disrespect right now._ Opening his medicine cabinet and grabbing a salve Sass had taught him to numb and speed bruises up, he sighed. “Marinette, we need to talk.”

“I know.” Her voice was strained— delicate, like a flower seconds from letting its petals fly off. Luka wondered, passingly, how this girl ever kept such a big secret. Everything about her made sense now— it was like his vision of her was crystal clear.

Starting off on her lower back first, he started gently massaging the salve in. The iciness of the cream made Mari hiss and recoil, and he muttered a soft apology. His hand coiled around her stomach and ribs, and he was suddenly in awe of how toned and proportionate her body was. The girl he was thinking of so intensely shivered, and Luka tried to distract himself from how he could feel the tremble going up her spine.

“How much do you know?” whispered Mari, her hand already over her heart and rubbing at the skin of her collarbone.

“Everything.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, love.”

His fingers slipped under the back of her bra, and Marinette held back her flinch. Luka cleared his throat into the heavy atmosphere, finishing the coat of salve off on her shoulders. “Are you feeling better?”

She nodded, her eyes down at the floor. Her heartbeat was almost erratic, fighting to stay cool and relaxed. “Yes. It feels tingly, but it’s better than before. Do I put my blouse on?” Luka shook his head, looking apologetic.

“Sorry, I know it’s awkward, but I need you to take your bra off.” He pushed off a blush at the raised eyebrow she was giving him. “Uh, not like _that_. I don’t want it to move or absorb the cream, so I’ll get you one of my shirts since they’re looser.”

Marinette seemed to understand. This is where her face really did turn scarlet, and she buried her face in her hands. “Um,” she started, looking completely away from him, “I can’t— uh—” Luka frowned. 

“I’ll bring the shirt to you, there’s no need to—”

She blew out a breath, exasperatingly embarrassed. “No, Luka, I-I need for you to unclip my bra.” Immediately, her face was five shades darker, and he didn’t struggle at all to match. “O-Oh. Okay. Uh, how do I. . ?”

Marinette fanned her face, already crossing an arm above her chest so the bra wouldn’t swing and accidentally flash him. “You- You just basically grab both sides and push them together. That should be enough to unhook it. I’m sorry, this must suck.” 

“Gotta admit, taking your bra off wasn’t exactly the plan. I mean, I won’t object, but—” A petty smirk went on Luka’s face, and Mari’s curse at him wasn’t at all lost. The hand that slapped his arm wasn’t, either.

_Okay, moment of truth. Now, how—?_ It took Luka a second, but he seemed to understand how it was supposed to work and undid the hooks. Mari squeaked in surprise. “Okay. . . Shirt, please?” 

The boy nodded, rushing off to find a big enough shirt. Once he did, a soft grey T-shirt, Luka headed back and tossed it at her, then turned on his heel for some decency of hers to be respected. A few seconds went by of rustling, then a muffled “ouch!” that almost made him turn around. _Who freakin’ cares?_ He argued to himself. _She’s my best friend. Doesn’t comfort matter more than some awkwardness—?_

“Luka?” Mari’s tiny voice called, and he whirled. _Ugh, she’s adorable_. “You’re gonna give me a heart attack, Marinette,” Luka breathed, completely forgetting that whole thing about respect and control. They weren’t even in his vocabulary at that point.

“W-What? Come on, Luka,” Marinette scoffed, her face still glowing red. 

Luka shrugged, muttering “it’s true” under his breath. He took a deep breath. This could either go well, or completely offend her, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to sweeten his words. “I think you need some help, Marinette. Maybe a therapist.”

A beat. A few dumbfounded blinks. Then her brow knit. “I am perfectly capable of—”

“I never said you aren’t,” Luka interrupted, crossing his arms. “But the things you’ve seen, you’ve had to endure, they’re too much.” Mari started to protest again, her back straightening in defense.

“I can handle them! You have no idea what I’ve seen— I can do this-!”

“You’re seventeen, Marinette!” Luka argued. “I won’t back down on this. You saw your best friend literally _pass away_ and you acted like it was nothing.”

Marinette inhaled sharply. “You aren’t supposed to remember that. How did you—?” 

“How am _I_ supposed to know? But I remember. I remember _perfectly_. That- That happens a lot, doesn’t it?” She hesitated briefly, more than enough time to get the hint. Luka placed his fist against his mouth, trying to think of how to approach this.

“How many times?” Marinette shook her head, shrugging. She’d lost count.

“Have _I?”_ She paused, her eyes softening. “Luka, this isn’t gonna help anyone, so can we just—?”

“My question, Marinette,” he said anyway, starting to pace across the floor.

After a few seconds, she nodded. “You have. Two times. You’ve died the least out of everyone because you’re so quick to redo.” Luka nodded, not feeling any reward in the words. His melody was everywhere— it was rampant and panicking, too many emotions thrown in to sound at all coherent anymore. 

“When was the first? The first time someone. . ?”

Mari didn’t seem to have any difficulty to recall, and it felt like Luka’s heart was being torn out for his best friend. “Around November, a few months after we got our miraculouses. Chat wasn’t fast enough before being thrown off a building.”

“Does anyone else know? Alya, your parents, Chat, Adrien?” She scoffed, rubbing at the fabric of his shirt. “Of course not. _You’re_ not supposed to, either. You realize that now, I have to seize your miraculous and step out of your life completely?”

“But if you could at least tell _Chat—_ ”

Marinette’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned to grab his arm. Her eyes were insistent and distressed, making Luka skittish. “No! And you can’t tell him, not a word. _No one_ must ever know. Promise you won’t tell him, Luka, _promise me.”_

“Marinette, you know I wouldn’t ever do that.” _How bad is the punishment to get her this scared?_ Her eyes were starting to rim with red as they watered, and her lip quivered. All of a sudden, Luka realized it wasn’t really about what she’d seen. What he really hated was about how _she’d_ seen them. All he wanted was to keep her safe. And if she can’t tell anyone about Ladybug, why couldn’t _he_ just be the one to help her? Luka already calmed her down when she needed it, so what’s the big deal if he keeps doing that?

Luka softened, all the anger and stress in his body melting through the floor. All he really felt was relief that she was okay. They could get into the details later. He didn’t warn her before picking her up and taking her to his room. He laid her down on the bed with caution, a confused little face staring back at him. Luka leaned back until he was lying next to her. “I can’t lose you,” he breathed. A small hand entwined their fingers.

“You won’t.”

“You should go to sleep.” Luka turned his head to find her looking at him. Her hair lay sprawled on his pillow, and the sight of it just reassured him. “I should. But do I _want_ to?” she murmured, squeezing his hand a bit. Beats of silence were exchanged. There was no awkwardness or anxiety, just thoughts and an attempt to understand each other as much as deemed possible.

“How do you deal with it?” asked Luka, closing his eyes for just a second. As always, what he saw was Chat Noir, pale and shaking as his body was pierced. Marinette took a deep breath. “I don’t, for the most part. The first time, I screamed so loud I lost my voice. Do you remember that month? You thought I went to a _party_. It was horrible. Weirdly enough, it wasn’t the sight of him that plagued me; it was that scream. I couldn’t believe it came out of me. It was anguished and raw and terrified and desperate and _devastated_ . . . It was haunting. It was everywhere. My dreams, in class, with you, with him. That’s the day I realized just how much I _need_ that idiot. I knew, going in, that we were soulmates. I don’t think it’s romantic, and he’s starting to realize it, too. But we’re soulmates. I can’t live _without_ him. So if there’s a day where I can’t bring him back, I prepare for it to be my last. There’s no _coping_ , Luka. No band-aid for the bullet holes, the bones, the blood, the _necks snapping_. You’re lucky; you saw _one_. I’ve seen _hundreds_ , by all of you. And it’s killing me slowly.”

Luka didn’t respond for a long time. He wasn’t hurt by her admission about Chat. Really, he was more curious and just _sorry_. “How did you respond when _I_ died?”

Marinette’s hand twitched. “I remember being so scared I could barely breathe. Panic attack on the spot. It took me and Chat hours to get the akuma, and I couldn’t concentrate because I had no idea if I was gonna get you back. Chat’s first took me by surprise. It almost killed me, seeing him. Yours almost did, too. But in a different way. I was so paranoid the months after recruiting you. I did everything I could to keep you safe, and it wasn’t enough. You are my only constant, Luka. You are there, and you care about me, and to lose you was one of the hardest things I ever had to face. It’s so hard to explain, but the anger and disappointment I felt at myself were so suffocating, I almost gave up being Ladybug entirely. I wanted to tell Chat who I was, give back Tikki, and just. . . disappear. But I knew that there’s no one else. And that we didn’t have that kind of time. So I just. . . watched you smile at me as you died. I cried and kicked and fought Chat every step of the way, poor thing. We got the job done, and I felt numb. You went back to smiling at me the next day.”

Luka held his breath as she talked, her melody starting to get farther and farther away from him, like she was taking herself back to that. . . time. “I’m so sorry, doll. I wish I could take on this for you.” Marinette tried for a weak smile, shaking her head. “And darken one of the brightest people in my life? No way.”

“What about _you_ , though?” Luka asked. “Marinette, what about darkening the only thing I care about right now?” Her grip on his hand tightened.

“She’s already been beaten down, Luka. I doubt there’s any brightness left in her anyway. And she’s pretty sure she doesn’t have a choice in staying that way.”

“I want to help her. I just wish she’d let me,” he murmured, staring up at the ceiling. “This girl— she deserves the _world_ , not whatever the hell she got.”

Marinette shrugged. “That’s how life is, angel. And she’s gonna fight like hell to roll with the punches and keep everyone alive.” The pad of his thumb ran over her skin, and she rolled onto her side to face him. If it hurt, she didn’t show it. He glanced at her and did the same, almost nose to nose with her. 

“I miss it,” she whispered.

“I know, sweetheart.”

“I’m so scared.”

“I know.” Luka got closer to kiss her cheek, putting his arm gently around her in a loose hug. “Go to sleep; you need to start taking care of yourself. You’re not alone anymore, Marinette.” She nodded timidly, hiding her face in his chest like she was scared the monsters would get her.

His eyes slowly slid closed after a few minutes of thinking, and the world went silent.

* * *

The first thing he registered was the light. It was behind his eyelids, powerful explosions of color against the drab abyss. It didn’t take long for Mari’s music to flood in, albeit faint and whispery. Luka glanced at her sleeping figure, still in almost the same position he’d last seen her. It was likely they’d only taken a nap, and pulling the curtains back to show the pink sunset only confirmed his thoughts.

He put his comforter and another blanket over her to warm her up, heading off into his living room to get his phone and text Sabine that she’d sleep over. She accepted happily, warning him to keep it decent and to be careful. _Damn_ , Luka loved Sabine.

For a second, he stood in his living room, just taking a breather. _Jesus Christ._ He knew this was probably just a bad week for Marinette, but it hurt him so badly to see her like this— fragile and scared and aloof. He hoped this would mean she opens up and lets him in, but knowing Marinette, it’d take a lot of coaxing.

A thought suddenly bloomed. Luka hadn’t really heard about Adrien in a while. He had no idea if he and Mari even hung out. When was the last time she turned him away for Adrien?

_Damn_. It had probably been a year ago. Adrien was the nicest guy Luka’d ever met, so he doubted he went on Lila’s side. He didn’t move away— Luka had seen him occasionally around the city. Did the friendship just. . . die? It was understandable since Alya and Nino were really the only things bringing them together. Part of him wanted for them to become more than just acquaintances because he knew if they could just hang out, they’d hit it off. Mari wasn’t so jumpy and nervous as she was back then. She hardly stuttered if she had to talk to him, so maybe if they got together, Adrien could finally get to know her. On the other note, Luka didn’t want her to fall for him again. No way. He knew she probably still liked him, and it was highly unlikely for any sort of romance with her, but if he had a shot, he had to take it. He was perfectly happy with her friendship, but if he had the chance at something more. . . he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to date her.

“Luka, are you alright?” A soft-spoken voice prompted behind him, and he turned to find the person he was thinking about, shy and all-consumed by his clothes. 

“Yes, Marinette, I’m alright.” The skin near her eyebrows twitched slightly, and he already could guess she was worried. 

“Come on, let me make you coffee,” he said, making a move towards his kitchen for encouragement. 

Mari nodded gratefully, then took her time to examine him. Or rather, his body. Not in a dirty way, mind you, but just to see how Viperion had affected him. A few tiny scars along the muscles of his back, but not much else. His build, though, was a different story. “Your body looks great.” The words slipped out before she could help herself, and he turned to raise an eyebrow. Jesus Christ, her brain cursed as the blood rose to her face. Her hand rose to cover her face, looking away from the very nice muscles on his chest. 

“Uh, that’s not what I meant. Wait— not to say that you don’t, b-because you _do—_! I just meant that, you know— Like, n-not that way, but that- _that_ way, understand? Wh-What I _mean_ is that—” Incredulous laughter stopped her, and she peeked through her fingers at Luka’s face. He flashed her a small, grateful smile. _Wow, okay. Butterflies_ , Marinette thought. 

She rubbed at the skin behind her ear, willing the color in her face to go away. “I just meant that your build is a lot stronger and leaner than when I first recruited you, Luka. I didn’t notice before. You-You do look good, though.” Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear in an effort to distract herself, she gestured quickly to his upper body and side-stepped to head into the kitchen. A little smirk played on his lips.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Bug,” Luka hummed, trailing his fingertip along the shape of her waist as he passed her to the coffee machine. Mari blushed again, clearing her throat. _This boy will kill me._

“So, any questions for me?” she asked. “For Ladybug, I mean.”

“You _are_ Ladybug, Marinette,” Luka chuckled. He took a minute to think, but eventually, he came up with the first. “How do people not recognize us? I think I’m pretty obvious, and when I think of it now, you’re so _obviously_ her.”

“I don’t exactly get it myself, but Tikki told me that it’s magic. Once the mask comes on, your features are different for every person. You probably saw me with a more structured face, a different hue or shade of hair, maybe a different height, and even a higher or a more husky type of voice. Am I right?” Thinking back on it, she was completely right.

Luka had seen Ladybug as taller, with longer legs where Marinette is more equal in the upper and lower body. Her voice had been husky in combat, shouting plans and commands, and when Ladybug talked to him, her voice was musical where Mari’s is silvery and sensual. Her cheekbones were a tad higher and her face was more pixieish than Marinette’s.

“Completely. Am I gonna be able to see you clearly now?”

“Probably not. Hawkmoth can only see memories, not hear them, so if the magic were to pull back, he’d be able to tell just as much. It’s basically a fail-safe. I’ll still look a bit different, but recognizable with a little consciousness.” Mari explained it the best she could, her fingers tapping on his counter. 

“I was always scared of Hawkmoth akumatizing Chat again and being able to access his memory this time. It’d be weird if he spent so much time with Marinette _and_ Ladybug, wouldn’t it? And if Hawkmoth also made the connection before, it wouldn’t take much effort at all to figure it out. That’s why I. . . never let up.” 

“Do you know who he is?” Luka asked, pouring the piping hot coffee into two mugs.

Marinette’s fingers paused, then started up again. It was more than Luka needed, raising his eyebrow in disbelief. “I have a hint. _Well,_ that’s a lie. I know who he is. But I don’t want it confirmed, just in case the magic stops working on me. God knows it always does.”

“Can I know who? There’s not much else to hide from me.”

Her song became a little pitchy, and he could bet that her stomach was turning in nervousness. “You’re not gonna like this. It’s literally the longest, most complicated thing I have ever had my hands on, and I’m a freakin’ superhero.” As she fidgeted with her fingers, Luka’s mouth twitched.

“Who is he, Mari?”

_“Adrien Agreste,”_ she blurted, and his eyebrows immediately rose sky-high. “I _know_ , it’s weird. I figured it out a year ago or so, and that’s when the. . . _obsession_ with him started to die. Adrien’s amazing and _kind,_ but I put him up on a pedestal back then, thinking he was so much more than he really is— just my best friend, who I’ve seen faceplant into the Seine. I also figured there was no point in trying to be anything more to him because he’s just this abused kid trying to get his crap together. And he’s _Chat Noir,_ this idiot who loves me so much. If I told him my identity to get him to like _Mari_ , it’d just be manipulation.

“I _love_ Adrien, don’t get me wrong, but I knew that if I _really_ loved him, I’d try to _understand_ him and be his _friend_ rather than just try to fulfill all of these stupid fantasies. So I took a step back. I know I should try to reconnect with him, and try to build our trust just in case I have to out myself to him, but part of me feels so guilty for having been like that that I just. . . don’t know how to _talk_ to him.” Marinette finished, tapping her teaspoon lightly against the mug. Luka took a big breath, trying to organize his thoughts enough to convey them the way he wanted to.

“Honestly, I thought you finally saw that he didn’t _like_ you, but I guess not. You stopped liking him for _his_ sake.” He held a scoff in, opting for a temple rub instead. A part of him was bitter; why did it take Chat Noir to realize that Adrien wasn’t good for her? But then, Mari had been not only a kid, she was also juggling the fate of the world with her normal life. The idea of Adrien was probably very attractive to her; normal, boy-next-door, no possibility of destruction anywhere in sight. “But nevertheless, you should just _talk_ to him. Preferably as a whole new person. Just don’t mention the past and be yourself.”

Marinette nodded, tracing the rim of her cup with her fingertip. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? Fate seems to _love_ screwing me over. Mari liked _Adrien_ and LB didn’t like _Chat_ , and he liked _Ladybug_ and _not_ Marinette, while simultaneously being the Chat Ladybug _doesn’t_ like and the Adrien Marinette _does_ like.” Luka snorted, shaking his head.

“What about Ladybug and Adrien, and Chat and Marinette?”

He watched as her cheeks reddened. “Well, Adrien and Ladybug were just really _nervous_ and blushy around each other, and _Chat and Marinette. . ?”_ She giggled. “Basically therapy buddies. I fed the stray and he talked to me about his life and how much he liked Ladybug, and in return, he consoled me about the _mysterious_ boy who’d rejected me.”

Luka whistled, his eyebrows raising. “Is this your way of telling me you’ve _already_ got a stray in your life? Missed my chance, huh?”

Mari hummed, a sly smile on her lips. “Ah, see, but strays only pass by. I’m starting to think a forever pet wouldn’t be _so_ bad.” Immediately, she regretted it. His face contorted in pleased surprise, his eyes widening in delight. 

“That didn’t. . . That _wasn’t_. . . Oh, for crying out loud,” she whined, heat snaking up her face. She turned on her heel after placing down her coffee, already marching away into his living room. Marinette didn’t get far, though. A few steps out and gentle, sure hands were gliding onto her hips, holding her in place. She squeaked in surprise, but Luka pulled her back, into the curve of his body. His heartbeat thrummed against Mari’s skin as his arms grasped her fully. 

Her heart seemed to skip a beat as his lips brushed her ear. “Mind telling me what _that_ means, darning?” Mari’s insides lit up in nervousness as she inhaled sharply.

She had two choices— surrender and let him win, or come up with something witty to shut him up. She went for the latter, twisting in his arms. Chest pressed against his, she leaned forward, into his ear, and murmured, “You’re an _extraordinary_ guy, Luka. Clear like a musical note, as sincere as a melody. You’re the song that’s been playing inside my head since the first day we met.” He froze, and Marinette could hear his breathing stop for a second.

She smiled, already pleased by the results when he started speaking. “Could it be that the miraculous Ladybug has _fallen_ for me?” His arms tightened around her slightly, and she could already feel his anticipation for her answer. This time, the answer came easily and smoothly— this wasn’t something she could regret. 

“If this is what falling is, I can’t imagine what the _landing_ will be like, heartbeat."


	3. lune #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone leaves, Darning breaks down, and there's a whole lot of readers continuously saying "what?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is IDK You Yet/Alexander 23. Welcome to the third chapter, ladies and gentlemen. I'm glad a few of you are enjoying the beginning of this work, and I'll try to keep it up. Like always, if you want something fixed, let me know, and if you like it the way it is, let me know! It's nice hearing feedback. There's like one drop of blood in this chapter, so there's your warning even if it's not a lot. Marinette seems to reach her mental break in this chapter, so if you'd like to skip that, you most definitely can.
> 
> Have fun reading, my cadenzas!

**IDK You Yet**

  
  


Marinette’s brow furrowed. A week had passed since her and Luka’s discussion, a topic that set butterflies in her heart whenever she thought of it. She couldn’t believe it’d happened. _Wow_ , she thought. _We’re. . . dating?_ Her heartbeat quickened, and she fanned her face to calm herself down.

“Thinking of a certain someone?” Tikki giggled from her chaise. Marinette jumped, whirling around to face her.

“What? _Luka?_ No! No way. I was just—!” She looked down at her desk and flushed at the sight of the unstarted design she had sitting there. Tikki flew over to her, snorting.

“Right, Marinette, of course.” She raised a tiny eyebrow, sitting on the small ball of yarn at the corner of the table. “You know you have school in, like, ten minutes, right?”

Mari yelped, springing from her chair only to trip over her feet and tumble to the floor. She let out an exasperated groan and stood up to dust herself off. She shot an amused look at the laughing Tikki.

“Old habits die hard, I guess! Go get some macarons for later while I gather my things, Tikki!” The little god nodded and shot off to the bakery, leaving Mari alone in her room. 

The girl suppressed a yawn, picking up her notebooks and supplies and shoving them into her bag. A little familiar chime sounded from her backpack; the opening notes to _Now or Never_. She fumbled to answer Luka’s call, “H- _Aah!”_ She picked the phone back up from the floor, where it’d fallen, as chuckles rang from the speaker. 

_“Doing alright, Mari?”_ His bassy voice sent jolts up her spine. 

Marinette tucked a hair behind her ear. “Y-Yes! Uh, I’m just in a hurry. I haven’t left the house yet, so I’m just waiting for Tik-”

“Tikki, I know.” Suddenly, Luka’s voice sounded way fuller. She turned, a screech escaping her at the sight of Tikki and Luka coming in through the door. He smirked and hung up the phone as Tikki giggled and disappeared into her purse.

 _“Lu_ -ka!” Marinette stammered, stuffing her phone into her back pocket. “What are you doing here?” She leaped forward for a hug, and he laughed. “Just gonna walk you to school, dummy. I’m not doing anything, so I figured I should at least do that.”

She smiled, kissing his cheek and grabbing her purse. “That’s really sweet of you, Luka, thanks. Shall we?” Luka grinned, taking her hand. “We shall.”

With a goodbye to her parents, the couple began their walk to her class. Marinette beamed up at him, squeezing his hand when she noticed something. His hair was disheveled, and almost unnoticeable bags hung under his eyes. Her smile turned downward. “Luka, are you staying up to write again?”

He merely smiled, shrugging. “When the inspiration comes, I can’t _ignore_ it. Seems your song got me out of my jam, doll. Don’t worry, though. It wasn’t that late.”

Marinette sighed, bumping his shoulder as they walked. “Don’t make it a hobby, heartbeat.”

“I won’t.” He kissed her temple, wrapping his arm around her. The life around them was quiet, surprisingly. There weren’t too many cars, and the only other noise was the other students walking around them. Up ahead, groups of kids were settled in front of the school, talking amongst themselves. No Alya, Nino, or Adrien anywhere, but Mari was already used to not seeing them as much anymore. Lila really did take her toll already, though it was revealed that she’d been sent back to Italy, so she wouldn’t be much of a problem anymore. Maybe that was why no one had directly bullied or insulted her for the past week, a change that Marinette was happy to get used to.

“You should invite Adrien out soon,” Luka told her all of a sudden. “Tell him. Everything.” Mari opened her mouth to argue, but he beat her to the punch.

“Marinette, I _know_ the cost. And I also know that _he_ deserves to know. You distanced yourself and he lost a _friend_. It’ll just help you trust each other more, not to mention that you could cover for the other. If you are together at all hours and not just akuma attacks, it gives you a _hell_ of a lot of time to bounce back and forth on strategies and theories to get the upper hand on Hawkmoth.”

She sighed, dropping his gaze. “I’ll think about it, okay?” He nodded, leading her into the school and up the steps. Mari and Luka slowed to a stop just outside the classroom, where most of her ex-friends were already chatting. Marinette scanned the room almost subconsciously, dread weighing down on her. Luka rubbed her back, drawing her attention to him again.

“I’ll pick you up after school, okay? We can go for a walk in the park, and you can tell me all about your day,” Luka promised, brushing a few strands away from her face. He smiled at her, and the dread immediately eased up. Marinette beamed, nodding. “I’m looking forward to it, heartbeat. I _might_ just show you something else I’m writing.” His grin widened.

“It’ll be amazing, whatever it is. I’ll let you go now, Mari.” He leaned forward to press a chaste kiss on her lips, one that Mari was happy to respond to. She ignored the whispers in the classroom and parted from Luka, giggling and giving him a little wave.

He chuckled and waved back teasingly as he went back down the stairs. When Luka disappeared from view, the dread settled back in. Mari sighed, readjusting her bag and stepping into the classroom. Eyes followed her, ones that left holes in the back of her head.

She headed for the last row, as usual, where Jul. . . No, _Alya_ was sitting. _What does she want?_ Marinette frowned, stopping in front of her. “Uh, did you need something, Alya?”

Alya flinched, as if she’d just noticed Marinette was there. “Marinette, _hey!_ I-I was hoping I’d get to talk to you.”

The ravenette crossed her arms, already suspicious. “I’m not making the mistake of going with you to a fake _Pierre Cardin_ showing, Alya. Get to the point; I know you’re gonna ask for _something.”_ She didn’t notice the class starting to form behind her.

Alya stood, sighing. She laced her fingers together, a detail that made Marinette knit her eyebrows. She was nervous. _Why?_ There was no _tell_ in her face that hinted anything more than anxiety. . . _guilt?_ Her former best friend cleared her throat. “Mari- I mean, _Marinette_. . . We need to apologize.”

Marinette finally seemed to see the semicircle her classmates were forming behind her as Alya joined them. Alix, Juleka, Rose, Nath. . . none of them gave any tells that indicated malice. _What the hell is happening?_ “We? _Apologize?”_ Marinette blurted in surprise, drawing a wince from a few people, but they nodded.

“Lila left a message for us. . . and it was. . .” Alya seemed to run out of words, as if she couldn’t bear to say them. Someone stepped slightly forward, and Lad- _Marinette’s_ eyes trailed the movement. Her legs were already tensed, and she dug her heel in just in case she needed to make a run for it. She was in battle mode, her eyes scanning the room once again. _What is this?_

There was nothing. Could it be that her classmates are. . . _sincere?_ A clear of the throat caught her attention. Max, looking crestfallen, handed her his tablet. Lila’s face was frozen on it, a play button loosely covering her nose. Mari examined the tells in her face— _haughtiness, sarcasm, malice, amusement_ — and it dawned on her. She pressed play.

Lila’s lips were curled in a smirk. Based on the environment around her, she was on a flight. _Probably back to Italy,_ Marinette thought. “Hi, ex-classmates! As you can probably tell, I’m already flying to Italy. This is my goodbye!” She giggled. “So, let’s unravel all of this! You are all a bunch of selfish idiots. Haha, I’m kidding. Or _am_ I? See, you can ask the baker girl, Marinette. I _promised_ her I’d ruin her life when I first came along. . . and that’s what I did! A few tiny lies and _expulsion_ later, and all of her friends were under _my_ wing! Sad, isn’t it? I mean, you are all _such_ terrible human beings, you believed everything a _newcomer_ said instead of the girl some of you have known since _infancy_. It was easy, like taking candy from a baby. You were all just _so_ gullible and vulnerable that getting into your heads was a walk in the park! All I had to do was promise to give you five minutes of fame, and you were sold! Really, I did that weak, naive girl a _favor!_ Imagine if she had stuck around you! She was probably the only genuine girl in the class, refusing to believe me. On the other hand, all of _you_ turned on her as soon as you got the chance. It almost scared me, how readily you all bullied, humiliated, and _abandoned_ her. Oh, well. Damage has been done.”

Marinette’s mouth gaped as Lila laughed, examining her nails like she was talking about the weather. “I wonder how you guys will react when you see this. Oh, I _wish_ I could be there just to see the fallout! Marinette, dear, make sure to update me. I’d love to see how you handle _this_ , you _insufferable bi-”_ Max hurriedly took the tablet back and pressed pause.

She closed her mouth slowly, the shock of the situation not quite dawning on her. Mari didn’t, _couldn’t_ understand. This was way too quick— it wasn’t supposed to be happening this way. Actually, it wasn’t supposed to be happening at _all_. She was just supposed to keep her head down until graduation. She didn’t think she actually had to do whatever _this_ is— talk and process this, that is. _Of course Lila had to get the last laugh,_ Marinette thought bitterly. _It wasn’t about them apologizing; that was probably a given. It was about_ forcing _me to comfort them and reassure them that, no, they’re_ not _horrible people._

“Marinette.” A voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and her head rose to catch Adrien’s eye. He was frowning, his face set in deep concentration. He’d never gone on Lila’s side, actually. He endured the harassment from her, but he never gave in. _Of course not,_ Marinette chided. _He’s Chat Noir._ Really, they’d just grown apart. Mari regarded him, her eyes reflecting question.

“Mari, I don’t think they expect you to forgive or console them,” he said. When she jumped, Adrien quickly explained, “We all knew what Lila’s intent was when she said that last bit. She wanted to back you into a corner. And when you’re cornered with nowhere to go—”

“It’s a breeding ground for butterflies,” Marinette breathed, finishing the saying for him. Adrien nodded, stepping in front of the other students to get closer. “You don’t have to listen to them right now. They just wanted to tell you what’d happened. We asked Mme. Bustier and Mlle. Mendeleiev along with the headmaster to see if you could go home just in case this is too much for you, and they agreed for the sake of Ladybug and Chat Noir. I’ll bring your work, okay?” 

Marinette nodded slowly, her palm already over her heart. “O-Okay. Yes, thank you. I’ll. . . be expecting you after school, then.” She took a step away from the little crowd of classmates, grabbing her bag back from the floor cautiously. She couldn’t help but tense up as she went through them to get through the door, like they were sharks in feeding time. Actually, she wasn’t completely sure that this wasn’t an akuma attack. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she left the classroom. Mari only got halfway through the stairs before she broke off into a sprint.

* * *

_Don’t be an idiot,_ Marinette thought wildly. _Calm it!_ She gasped for breath, but her legs wouldn’t stop. Mari was running by so fast anyone would’ve thought that she was flying. _She_ wasn’t even sure her feet were touching the ground, either.

 _Get a hold of yourself!_ She passed the Louvre, the Seine, Chloe’s hotel as a blur. The biting, cool wind flooded through her hair and clothes, pulling them back as if it missed them, but Marinette felt nothing but claustrophobic. No matter how open the air was, how much space she had, it was too close. _They’re too close. . !_

The sound of life came muffled to Marinette. It felt like everyone was talking through this bubble, but only she was trapped inside. She’d never been this claustrophobic before. With the attacks from her childhood and the last year or so, it’d just been hyperventilating and crying, but this felt so completely different. Am I having a panic attack in the middle of Paris? Her legs, arms, back yelled in pain, but it was like her brain was being controlled. _Stop running!_ The frames of her vision reddened.

 _“I promised I’d ruin her life. . .”_ **_And she did._ **

_“You believed everything a newcomer said over the girl some of you have known since infancy!”_ **_How could they?_ **

_“Really, I did that weak, naive girl a favor!”_ **_What if that’s true?_ **

_“Damage has been done.”_ **_Yes, it has._ **

_“Handle this, you insufferable bi-”_ **_How? How do I-_ **

“MARINETTE!” A cry escaped her as a force crashed into her side, knocking whatever breath left in her out. She and the “force” collided onto the ground, and the cautious side of her sighed with relief at the texture of grass and not pavement. Commotion rang around her.

Black fuzziness gathered at the edge of her vision, and she sucked in a gulp of air. Faintly, calls of her name started to register. _What? Five more minutes, Maman._ A three-count, then the sound of sirens tuned into her ears.

In full force, her senses turned back on. Blinding light and color leaped at her eyelids, and she could feel the soreness of her back complaining. _Marinette._ With a desperate gasp, she heaved herself up to her feet. Alarms rang through her as she tried to process the sight of the Arc de Triomphe. No, she’d just been at the Seine. 

“Marinette, calm down.” She whirled to face the owner of the voice, poised for combat. Chat Noir held his hands up in surrender, the only emotion on his face being concern and worry. He looked winded, and it made her wonder just how much she’d run. 

“Wh-What happened?” she breathed, letting her arms lower. She looked around at the crowd of people murmuring with their eyes on them. An ambulance sat on the road nearby, lights flashing violently. Marinette allowed herself to relax, and Chat Noir crossed his arms.

“I think you were having an anxiety attack, maybe. Someone submitted a picture of an akuma following you on the Ladyblog, and I got here probably a second before it could touch you. It was _really_ lucky, Mari.” Chat hesitantly grabbed her shoulders to steady her. She hadn’t noticed she’d been swaying.

“Let me take you home, okay?” He sounded exactly like Adrien, and Marinette almost blurted out his name.

“Thank you, Chat.” She didn’t bother taking a step— her head was already swimming so it’d be a miracle if she didn’t topple over. He seemed to get the hint, shooing away the crowd and the phones that rendered her vulnerable. A leather-clad arm wrapped around her waist securely, and in no time, they were off.

* * *

Mari took a shaky breath as her partner lowered her onto her balcony. Chat Noir stepped back from her body, offering her a small smile. “Thanks for taking me home, Chat. And for the save. I know you probably could’ve been somewhere important.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Trust me, Princess, I was nowhere that needed immediate attention. What did need it, though, was _you_. I’m just glad I got there in time.” Chat ruffled her hair, drawing a faint giggle from his friend. “You should call Luka. You can bet he’s pretty worried.”

Marinette frowned, nodding. She’d forgotten that it was probably all over the internet. Chat was right— Luka was probably going out of his mind. “And you know you can just call for me, and I’ll be here,” Chat reminded her, but Marinette smirked.

“Just admit that you want kibble, Chaton.” She flicked his bell and realized her mistake a second too late. _I’m not Ladybug right now, moron!_ She chastised herself, internally groaning. Chat blinked as if in surprise, but a grin took over his face anyway. “You know _purr-fectly_ well I can’t resist, Mlle. Marinette.”

He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, as usual, squeezing for a beat. “Give me a shout and I’ll be here in two shakes of a cat’s tail, _Purrincess!”_ Mari couldn’t hold back her laugh, and Chat beamed. “See ya!” With the press of a button, he was gone. 

And Marinette felt as small as a bug again.

* * *

“Shit!” she hissed as the shining needle pierced her index finger, drawing a pearl of blood. A furious, bullet-fast line of expletives ran rampant from her mouth as she dropped the silk back onto her desk to avoid staining it. Mari growled in complete irritation as she stomped to her bathroom to wash her finger and get yet another band-aid. Five of them already decorated her shaking hands, little colorful bursts against her delicate skin.

 _If you cry because of this, you’re seriously an idiot, Marinette,_ she thought, but a lump started forming in her throat. Her vision blurred through tears. Mari braced herself on the counter, her hands trembling against the cold marble.

Her speaker faded into earshot as the next song began, and the gentle guitar in the beginning was more than enough to get her to start crying her heart out. She wasn’t even sad; she was just so _freakin’ frustrated_. _What the hell did I do to get this?_ Tikki patted her shoulder, but Marinette ignored her and crouched down, curling up on the tile of her bathroom floor.

_“How can you miss someone you never met?_

_Because I need you now_

_But I don’t know you yet._

_And can you find me soon_

_Because I'm in my head_

_And I need you now_

_But I don't know you yet._

_‘Cuz lately it’s been hard_

_They’re selling me for parts_

_And I don’t wanna be modern art_

_But I only got half a heart to give to you.”_

_This is so dumb,_ Inner Marinette sighed, _You’re crying for no reason._

Regular Marinette didn’t seem to care what her consciousness was telling her as her sobs thrummed through her bedroom, almost as loud as the song on her speaker. Tears traced a path down her reddened cheeks, quickly falling onto the floor. They rushed out of her eyes as if there was an infinite supply, and with all of the anxiety and stress from the last few years, Marinette really didn’t doubt it. 

This wasn’t her. That was all she could think about. _This isn’t what Marinette is supposed to be— what Ladybug is supposed to be. Why can’t emotional control come along with the enhanced human abilities?_

Legs held tight against her chest, Marinette buried her face into her knees. All that was really left were gasps, sniffles, and hiccups. It was a miracle she hadn’t been akumatized. 

The music stopped. That wasn’t supposed to happen— The music cut off mid-lyric. Mari raised her head hesitantly, her fear already rising. Is _that_ why she wasn’t akumatized? Because there was already a villain on the loose? Wait, her _parents—_

Footsteps drummed on her floor, and Marinette jumped to stand and wipe her nose with a tissue. She couldn’t transform, not without them noticing the huge light. The door to her bathroom was partially closed, but it wasn’t nearly enough to cover the magic of the transformation. Mari took a shaky breath, trying to get her heart rate steady enough to think clearly.

“Darning?” 

The energy seeped out of her at his voice. She sank to the floor, fresh tears already welling up. “I’m here,” she called, cursing at the very obvious voice break Luka very likely heard. Her hands supported her weight as she curled up again, her back resting on the wall. The bathroom door quietly gave way, and blue hair peeked behind the door as if to check if everything was alright. Once Luka confirmed that she was decent, he stepped in further.

“What happened, melody?” His soft voice coaxed her eyes to meet his, and she shrugged. Tipping her chin up with his finger, Luka frowned at the tears and the redness of her eyes. He crouched down in front of her.

“Chat went to go get me. Says you had a panic attack at the Arc.” Marinette sighed, shrugging again. He didn’t let her look away, moving in front of wherever her eyes tried to land. “Why didn’t you call me, Mari? You know I would’ve helped.”

“I didn’t want help, alright?” She was borderline snapping at him, and she instantly hated herself. _He’s just trying to help._ Her eyes welled again. “I didn’t want you to help me, Luka. You’re not supposed to— You’re not supposed to be taking care of me! I’m a freaking superhero, and it’s not fair on you, alright?”

Luka’s eyes softened. “You’re my girlfriend, Marinette, not to mention my best friend. Of course I’m supposed to take care of you— It’s my job, dummy. You’re so stubborn. How can you be a superhero if you can’t take care of yourself?”

He had a point and she knew it. She hated that he was right, and apparently it showed on her face because he gave her a cocky grin. “I didn’t wanna bother you,” she breathed as he wiped away her tears. His eyebrow quirked.

“You could never bother me, darning. I adore you— I’d spend every minute with you if I could. Now, tell me what’s going on.”

* * *

When Mari finished, they were seated on her bed while Luka strummed some impromptu guitar. “I guess Lila really did go out with a bang,” Luka said. “She got what she wanted. Well, for the most part anyway. I get why that had upset you. It’s understandable. Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?”

Her heart melted at how understanding he was. To think that she’d put this boy off for years for someone who was only destined to be her best friend. “Hug?” she chirped, holding her arms out like a toddler that wanted to be picked up.

Luka chuckled, leaning forward to pull her into his lap. Mari squeaked; this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but why would she complain? She wrapped her legs around his torso and leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder. His hands grasped each other around her waist. “Hug,” Luka repeated, kissing her hair. 

Mari bunched up his shirt in her hands, trailing her nails along the seams. Suddenly, she looped her arms around his neck and leaned back to look at him. He held her tight at the waist, raising a brow at the sudden move. “I was going to tell you,” Marinette started, shifting on his lap carefully. “I had a council with the kwamis, and they thought it’d be a good idea if Viperion, Rena, and Carapace were full superheroes. Would you like me to hold the ceremony or whatever now or later?”

His eyes widened, and his smile seemed to widen. “That’s really cool. Thanks, Bug.” She giggled, shrugging. “But let’s do the formal stuff later, okay? I’m pretty comfortable and I’d rather not have you move.”

Luka pecked her lips to emphasize his point, sending a blaze of heat to Mari’s cheeks. She buried her face in his chest before he could see it (at least, that’s what she thought), embarrassment burning through her. “You’re teasing me,” she whined at the sound of his resulting laughter.

“Am not,” Luka replied, but Marinette huffed, leaning back again.

“Are, too!”

“Am not.”

“Are, too.” She pouted, crossing her arms.

Luka leaned in to sneak a kiss on her, taking her face in his hands to make a show of it. He felt the skin of her face warm as soon as he did, and he couldn’t stop himself from laughing against her lips. Mari smacked his arm in response, pressing her finger against his lip and lightly pushing him away. “Traitor,” she grumbled under her breath as she got off of him, his laughter still filling the room.


	4. lune #4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Orpheus dreams of home and a little someone grins wickedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Line Without a Hook/Ricky Montgomery. So, so sorry for not updating last week. It was my finals week and writing was a little tough. And now, with holidays coming up, I didn’t have time to write an eleven-page update, hope you understand. I had a lot of fun with the descriptiveness in this new chapter, actually, and I hope y’all enjoy it too. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Have fun reading, my cadenzas.

**Line Without A Hook**

_They’re on a hill, wind gently blowing at them. The sunset casts a glare into his eyes, but he can’t find it in him to care; he just feels. . . peaceful. Relieved. Almost resigned, but in a good way. Petals ride the wind all around them, working their way through her pretty red sundress and his hair. They look like cherry blossom flowers, but the colors are extensive. Electric orange buds and gorgeous emerald particles of pollen enter his vision as they fly past him and into the city far below them._

_Tearing his eyes away from the purples, yellows, blues of the flowers, he fixates on her. Her smile is big and beaming, though her eyes are crystallized with tears. She looks happy as her hair waves in the breeze, like everything weighing her down was gone. He’s never seen her like this— without the worry lines and the muscles poised to attack. There’s no tension in her brow, no fear in her eyes. All he sees is happiness and fulfillment. Her eyes catch his, and solace colors her as she laughs breathlessly. One of her tears falls onto her cheek, and he’s quick to wipe it away._

_Below them, the city is quietly bustling in shifting hues. There’s not one chord of sadness or anger or fear— all anyone can feel is safety and felicity. They’re mere ants to the couple, but their laughter and chatter reach even their ears. The sky shifts into a gradient of salmon pink, peach yellow, thistle, and steel blue._

_It’s beautiful. He can hardly keep his eye on one thing for too long— this is perfect. His hand brushing her locks of hair, the deep royal ocean rocking in her eyes, the puffy white clouds in the stunning sky, the glittering Paris. . . it physically hurts him to not take everything in. A soft, swaying, lulling piano bringing everything together, the scene is ethereal. Miraculous, even._

_“This is gorgeous,” she murmurs to him. “And it's so perfect, Luka. So, this is your dream?”_

_He just smiles, resting his forehead to hers. “Does it have to be a dream? Can’t we stay here forever? This is everything I could ever want. You and our happy ending, Mari.” She puts her cheek against his chest as he looks out onto Paris once more._

_“A world where everything’s okay. Where people like Ladybug don’t have to exist. It’s a lovely dream, Luka.”_

_His breath catches, and a lump suddenly grows in his throat. His voice breaks quietly. “I want this so bad. I want you, safe with me. I want to love you and I want you to be happy. If I lose you, I’ll die. If I lose you, there’s no music in the world.” Tears fall into her hair. “I don’t want this to be a dream, Mari. Please don’t make me leave, please.”_

_Two delicate hands cup his cheeks, erasing any tracks of the teardrops that once were. Marinette presses a kiss to his forehead as his hands clasp over hers. He closes his eyes, letting himself fall apart in her hands. As petals fall at their feet, Mari smiles through the tears. Her thumb gently caresses his cheek, not minding the flow of droplets that are getting in the way._

_“I have to take you back, heartbeat. It kills me, but this is the way it has to go. We’ll have this so soon, Luka. I promise you with everything in me.” His shoulders shake, but he nods anyway. Eyes flutter open, and he takes all around him in. Her beautiful face fills his vision as the dream starts to dissolve away._

_“I love. . .”_

* * *

Viperion startled awake, hands insistently shaking his shoulders back and forth. A deep voice called his name, and his eyes flew open. Chat Noir stood above him, panic in his face. “Viperion, are you okay?”

He nodded, taking the offered hand to stand up. “Ye- Yes. Where’s Ladybug? Do you know?” Chat pointed to a figure slumped a few hundred yards away, barely starting to stir. 

“It was a pain in the ass, catching the akuma without her.” He gestured to a box Viperion hadn’t seen before, only a few feet away. The lid thumped lightly, but it was clear there was an akuma.

“How did you _do_ that? I thought akumas would just grab hold of whatever touches it.”

“Apparently it only happens when a human is in contact with it. If it gets trapped in something that has no emotion or thought, it’s a regular butterfly.” Chat’s chest puffed up proudly, wiping sweat from his brow. Viperion watched Rena help Ladybug up.

“That’s awesome, Chat Noir. Sorry I wasn’t around to help.” The other super waved him off. “It’s fine, man. Get hit with magic dust and I can’t expect you to keep going. Magic dust is usually the one that knocks people out.”

Steps hit the gravel of the road quickly as Ladybug sprinted towards them. “Chat! Viperion! What happened?” She skidded to a stop in front of them, breathing heavily. “I’m in this _really_ good dream, and then it fades, and _Rena’s_ talking, and something about the akuma being _trapped—_ Th-There’s no way that it can be trapped! There _has_ to be another ak—”

Chat frowned, grasping her shoulder to keep her up. Viperion said, “Calm down, Bug. Everything’s okay. Seems your partner discovered something new.” As Chat explained, Viperion grimaced to himself. _How can she come out of a good dream already terrified of what’s going on?_ Ladybug eventually cooled down and performed her signature (“Miraculous Ladybug!”) before telling Chat to help the victim and himself home.

As he and LB walked into a secluded alley, a deep sigh escaped his girlfriend. His gaze caught hers and she shrugged, rubbing her temples. “At least I got some sleep,” she tried, taking his hand. Viperion called for his detransformation. He knew he was being quiet. He didn't like it. Luka was sure she’d know something was wrong, since Mari is able to pinpoint stressors much more accurately than him. It didn’t surprise him when she stopped by his apartment the next day.

“What’s wrong?” she said immediately after he opened the door. “I was gonna ask you yesterday but. . . just thought you might need space.” Luka beckoned her into his living room, suppressing a sigh. Marinette took a seat on his couch, the expectant look on her face enough to break down his nerve.

He drew a calming breath, sitting on the coffee table in front of her. “I was in this place. A hill, tall and grassy and green. The wind was strong, but it didn’t sting or bother, it just worked to push your hair and the petals and the grass. I look downhill, and there’s Paris. The light of the sun hit it _perfectly_ , casting a glow in this shifting hue of color. We’re standing on that hill below this _perfect_ sunset with fluffy clouds. Petals are riding the wind— rose red, gold, sea green, even periwinkle. Some of them catch in your hair. In my clothes. They fly down into Paris, inviting more color into the sparkling Seine.”

Mari’s breath caught at his description, already knowing where this was going. “There’s piano playing, airy and soft,” Luka continued. “Your melody was layered on it and it sounded. . . _gorgeous_. You’re crying, but they’re happy tears. Your laugh is pretty and loud in my ears, Mari. And you know the best part?” He ignored his vision starting to slowly blur. “You were more relaxed than I’ve ever seen you in the past two, three years I’ve known you and loved you. Your eyes weren’t scanning or worried, and your brow wasn’t drawn. You were just. . . _happy_. And it was the most stunning, staggering, breathtaking, _devastating_ thing to me. All I’ve _ever_ wanted was to see that.”

He didn’t drop his eyes from hers as something wet hit his jeans. “There was no crime, no Ladybug, no _fear_. Everything was perfect. And I told you so. I said that we didn’t have to leave. That we could stay and have our happy ending. But you smiled—” His voice caught, and this time, he did look away to compose himself. 

After a moment, he continued. “You _smiled_ , and you reminded me that it was just a good dream. And I knew those tears of yours and mine weren’t _happy_ anymore. I begged you, _pleaded_ for you not to take me back. But you had to. You said it’d happen soon, that you promised, and the world. . . dissolved. Like sand being washed away. I opened my eyes, talked to Chat Noir, and you came running. And you were back to normal. You were scared, your posture stiff. Your hand was trembling, but I don’t think you noticed.”

As her eyes grew wide, Luka rubbed his eyes. “I wished to anything listening that that wouldn’t keep being _normal_. I adore you. I have always, _always_ loved you, darning. And seeing you like that when I finally saw what you _could_ be killed me.”

Marinette sniffled, rubbing the velvet of her shirt. She opened her mouth and closed it after a second, knowing there weren’t any words she could use to comfort her boyfriend. She acted on instinct, gently putting her palm to the back of his neck and pulling him closer until his nose buried into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured into his hair. “I wish we could stay there forever. And I wish I didn’t look like I do.” He started to protest, but Mari shushed him. “I don’t mean it that way, sweetheart. I’m saying that I wish what happened to make me like this didn’t happen at all. And I know you do, too. I’m trying so hard to make it home every day, Luka, and as long as you and Adrien are by my side, that’ll never, _ever_ change.”

She traced his jaw with the tip of her thumb, soft against the angles of his face. “You mean _everything_ to me. I would be lost without you. I swear, we’ll get that happy ending, Luka, because I’m _so_ in love with you.” Mari could practically feel his pause. Her lip quirked. “Does that make you feel better, or should I make up some music puns?”

He immediately stiffened, flying back to the table with something like dread in his eyes. “No, no, I’m good.” Mari ignored him, a playful smirk already alerting him. “Let’s see. You’re the lyrics to my melody? No, that’s just cute. Ooh! Next time, try not to get in _treb—_ ”

Luka practically flew out of the room, covering his ears. “Stay back, ye _heathen!_ I shalt not allow thee to ruin music for me! Wait, that _rhymed-_ Get _away_ from me!”

Their loud roars of laughter filled the apartment, interrupted at some points by random squeals and shouts. Nearby, on a rooftop, a black cat smiled. “I taught Bugaboo so well.” 

* * *

Adrien Agreste wasn’t a dumbass. Unless it came to girls. Anyway, I digress. He wasn’t stupid or the comedic token in an american Hallmark movie. He’d known about his lady’s identity for a while now.

What, did you really think both Ladybug and Marinette could both act strange and he wouldn’t notice? Wrong. His theory was just confirmed when she came into the classroom just as he did after an akuma attack. Of course, he didn’t let on that he knew. Marinette had a lot on her shoulders, and he’d figured that letting her keep the protection of her identity would at least ground her. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about who else could know.

No one did to the extent of his knowledge, but paranoia in a superhero could definitely prove. . . unfortunate.

Adrien pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto his bed carelessly. Plagg protested under the shirt, just a tiny shape rooting around under the fabric. “Sorry, Plagg,” he called as he stepped into the bathroom. As he pulled the rest of his clothes off, he tried to avoid looking in the mirror. He was a model, so of course it wasn’t particularly shameful to him. It was his job to make sure his appearance was up to par. Not to mention that he was a superhero, so he didn’t really have a choice in looking like one of those firefighter strippers in a bachelorette party. He’d cut the sides of his hair closer to his scalp, a detail that even Ladybug seemed to think suited him. His face pinked just thinking about her sincere gaze as she said he looked good.

He doesn’t have a crush on her anymore. How could he? She’d shown no interest in him, so the sparks eventually faded. Did that stop his heart from faltering every time he remembered a moment when he was still in love with her? _Definitely not._


	5. lune #5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which fingers tie and voices break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleepwalk/Santos & Johnny. Sorry for the long break, but unfortunately, it's gonna be a little longer! I promise I'll be trying to get the creativity flowing, though.
> 
> Happy reading, cadenzas.

**Sleepwalk**

  
  


It’d been a few days since her meltdown. The school finally declared her fit to go back to school, much to her joy and dread. On one hand, she’d finally make a decision on what to say to her classmates, and on the  _ other _ . . . she’d finally have to make a decision on what to say to her classmates. Luka had drilled it into her head that she didn’t have to say or do anything yet, but honestly, she just wanted to get it over with.

Marinette knew what her heart wanted. She could  _ never  _ forgive them for their actions and the disloyalty she’d suffered through. Mari  _ herself  _ knew she was kind. It sounds gloating, but it’s true. Even  _ she  _ knew that she didn’t deserve it, because kindness and love had always ruled her moral compass. She’d never breathed a curse or insult to anyone who didn’t deserve it or provoke her first, and she’d done everything possible to support her friends.

How was it possible that misery was her thanks? Marinette studied the blue of her eyes in the mirror, her phone lightly buzzing to remind her that school was thirty minutes away. 

Tikki was prattling on about how fun baking was and how Luka had offered to help her do it the night before at his apartment. The entire conversation had made Mari’s heart melt, especially when Luka declared that their playdate was on Sunday at eleven in the morning. He’d said it in such a confident way, it almost looked cartoonish, but Mari couldn’t bring herself to do anything but giggle.

“Sass seems pretty excited to finally have Luka as his full-time Chosen,” Marinette prompted, casting a small grin at Tikki. The tiny god squealed, flying in happy backflips. “Yeah! I’m very excited, Marinette! I’m happy we’re bringing more kwamis into the mix— maybe more backbone could be the key to finding Hawkmoth! Now, if only I could see Plagg regularly, we could go over the last few gens of Nooroo’s Chosen. They’re not always evil, but they always set an M.O. for themselves once they get the hang of the Miraculous.”

Marinette nodded, inwardly sighing to herself. She knew she’d have to tell Chat sooner rather than later. To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise her if he already knew she knew— or if he knew her identity too. She wasn’t even sure she’d mind all that much, since all that stuff about being the perfect Ladybug was long gone. She trusted Chat with everything, and he’d always been the person she wanted to reveal herself to first.

If he really did know, her only real question would be why he hadn’t told her.

The thin felt tip of her lip gloss wand glided over her lips, casting a pretty pink sheen on the natural red. One lip pop and a few moments of getting her purse and regular things took a few skims off of her remaining time, but Marinette didn’t mind. After all, it delayed the hard conversation she was bound to have. Her parents chimed their usual goodbyes and wishes as she grabbed a box with a key lime pie slice and exited the bakery, leaving the warm smell of bread behind for the bite of the city wind.

The city was bustling a bit more than usual, filling her ears with conversation. She walked the stairs with her heart pounding at every step.  _ Just don’t get mad, or upset,  _ she reminded herself. _ No one is forcing forgiveness. Just hear them out and tell them how you feel. No one has a reason to judge you.  _

It felt like there was a target on her back. What were the odds that a sword-swinging 1800’s socialite villain would pop out from behind the corner and shout, “Marinette, the preposterous heathen! Come and find me, you annoying churchbell!”? Not slim enough. 

The chatter of her peers grew closer as she entered the classroom, then it dispersed. She didn’t bother to try and look them in the eye— no, pushing past them and setting her bag down was the priority at the moment.

“Mari—”

“—nette,” she shot back at Alya, who visibly grimaced and swallowed. Nonetheless, Alya swallowed her guilt and straightened up. “Are you feeling better?”

Marinette bit back a snap, rolling her eyes internally. “I’m not even gonna answer that, Alya.” She took her seat, finally facing all of them. Adrien caught her gaze first, and she took the slight bob of his head as reassurance. Juleka seemed annoyed, but not quite by her. When Mari met her gaze, she didn’t look away. Instead, her chin raised and Mari knew Jules was on her side. She hadn’t ever really been a part of it, and had even tried to stop it at first, but it seemed as though the peer pressure made her cave in. Marinette couldn’t find it in herself to blame her.

Alya sighed, pushing her glasses back on the bridge of her nose. “Marinette, all I want to say for now is that we were horrible to you. You have every right to hate us and to never talk to us again. We—  _ I  _ was stupid and disloyal and an idiot. I was a coward in every way.”

Someone grabbed Alya’s hand, and Marinette’s eyes bored into Nino’s. “Marinette,” he began, “I’m so sorry. I’ve known you for years and years, and the fact that I left you in any less than that sucks ass on my part. I wasn’t a good friend to you, even with the endless favors and help you’ve given me. I was selfish and dishonest when you didn’t deserve it. I know you probably won’t forgive me, and I literally can’t blame you. I just want you to know that.”

Marinette hated the lump in her throat with a burning passion. If any one of these apologies from them could make her cry, it was Nino’s. He’d been by her side since they were toddlers, and had never faltered when she needed him. If Alya or Adrien or Luka hadn’t met her, Nino would’ve been the only one to understand her and stay by her side. He knew things about her that not even her own mother knew, excluding Ladybug. She’d always believed that he was who’d catch her if everyone else left her, if the world was ending, because that was the way it always was. Just Nino and Marinette against the world, kicking names and taking ass. They were supposed to become famous best friends together, to travel the world and attend each other’s weddings and to room together if all else failed. They were supposed to be each other’s fallbacks.  _ When did that change? _

She stared down at her trembling hands as the others gave their meaningless apologies, all saying something about the favors she did for them and how unfair they were. With every word, she could feel her chest burning hotter and hotter. Was that it? Were they just sorry because of what she did for them? Were they only apologizing for her to still do things for them? Marinette was very aware of her designs’ growing popularity in France. Jagged was still wearing her designs, and Mari had promised Clara Nightingale a slot in her January commissions. 

Once everyone was done and seated, a shiver ran through Marinette. Her legs bounced under the desk, the little tapping one of the only sounds in the room. She was already spiraling when someone carefully sat down beside her, taking her hand in theirs. She didn’t have to look up to know it was Adrien, and she threaded her shaking fingers through his. Her head landed on his shoulder as Bustier began her lecture. An arm carefully slid over her shoulders, and both of them knew there wasn’t anything to keep from each other anymore. “Chaton,” she whispered, her voice catching.

Adrien exhaled slowly, tightening his grip at the realization that there wasn’t really anything holding him back from his partner now. “I know, Bug,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her head. The others didn’t pay any attention to them, and while Bustier caught on after a minute, she didn’t show it.

* * *

Their hands didn’t seem to disentangle for most of the day after that. The only time they did was for their only class apart, and both of them found it rather difficult to let go. As soon as the bell rang, they entwined once again as if there was no other choice. They didn’t really have to talk. At that point, they’d gone to great lengths as superheroes to make sure they could understand each other without words just in case, and it didn’t seem to change with Adrien and Marinette. A slight nod or tilt from either already clearly indicated what was up, so it wasn’t exactly hard for them to piece things together. 

When the end of the day finally arrived, the duo stood in front of the school with no clue what to do next. Adrien’s fingers tightened a bit, like he wasn’t at all willing to let her go.  Marinette studied his eyes, which cast downward. She took a deep breath, knowing he’d say nothing until she confirmed she could function. “I-I think we need to talk, Adrien.” His eyes snapped up to meet her, and he nodded slowly.    



End file.
